Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy
focuses on permitting people to engage in occupations which
provide a personal meaning and purpose to their lives. These
activities refer to everything that people do during the course
of the day: self care
activities-such as dressing, bathing, eating;
productive activities-
such as attending school, paid work, home management, etc., and
social and recreational
activities (Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy,
1997). Occupational Therapists can work in a variety of settings
such as hospitals, community agencies, home care agencies,
school based settings, and private practices. During the
evaluation process, the occupational therapist collaborates with
the client to identify the existing and expected difficulties
the individual is faced with in engaging in daily activities
because of the existence of an illness, whether it is physical,
cognitive or emotional, or due to an injury. Working with the
client, the occupational therapist develops a treatment plan
using an approach or strategy that enhances the client’s ability
to participate as independently as possible in those daily
activities. The treatment approaches or strategies would focus
on: preventative
measures while improving performance in daily activities;
wellness promotion; skill restoration through rehabilitation;
compensatory strategies through the use of assistive technology
(Pedretti, 2006).
Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services
Pediatric
Occupational Therapy focuses on sensory processing issues,
cognitive, motor, and other developmental delays, as well as,
injuries and other impairments. Occupational Therapists can work
in pediatric hospitals, pediatric outpatient settings, home care
agencies, and school settings. Many occupational therapists work
in school settings under the regulations of The Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as related service providers.
A related service for those eligible students ages 3 through 21,
is a service that allows the child with a disability to benefit
from special education. Under the definition of IDEA “related
services provided by a qualified occupational therapist
includes:
- Improving, developing, or restoring
functions impaired or lost through illness, injury or
deprivation
- Improving
ability to perform tasks for independent functioning when
functions are impaired or lost
- Preventing through early intervention,
initial or further impairment or loss of function”(34 C.F.R.
300.24 [b][5] ).
The occupational therapist,
working in a school setting, uses an activities based
intervention, which can also include the use of Assistive
Technology to help the child become independent in school
activities. The occupational therapist determines the needs of
the learner with disabilities in using assistive technologies to
help the learner engage in school related activities, such as
reading, writing, music and art.
In addition to these services, the
occupational therapist is vital to the multidisciplinary team in
working with the adolescent and their families in planning
transition services for the student in entering post school life
as a young adult. The IDEA requires that these transition
services must be comprehensive and designed to provide
meaningful positive post school outcomes and improve the
student’s quality of life (Orentlicher & Michaels, 2003). The
occupational therapist working in a school based setting brings
a unique perspective to the educational team, as cognition,
perception, psychosocial, and motor abilities of the child are
assessed and treated in a functional context (Pedretti,
2006).The expertise of the occupational therapist demonstrates
in assessing and addressing deficits and strengths in all these
areas can also profoundly effect the student’s quality of life.
The focus of occupational therapy is relevant in working with a
student who is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, given that the
illness affects all areas of the student’s life.
References:
Canadian Association of
Occupational Therapists (1997).
Enabling occupation: An
occupational therapy perspective.
Ottawa, Canada:
CAOT Publications ACE.
Individuals with Disabilites Education Act
Amendments of 2004. Pub.L. 105-117, 20 U.S.C. Chapter 34.
Krohn, W.S., Foti, D., &
Glogoski, C. (2006). In Pedretti’s occupational therapy:
Practice for Physical Dysfunction(6th Edition).
Mosby,
St. Louis,
Mo.
Orentlicher, M.L., & Michaels, C.A. (2003).
Enlisting occupational therapy practitioners to support students
in transition from school to adult life: Part 1.
Developmental
Disabilities: Special Interest Section Quarterly, v.26,
no.2, June 2004,
American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
Web
Links:
American Occupational Therapy Association:
http://www.AOTA.Org
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy:
http://www.CAOT.Org
Wrightslaw: Special Education Law:
http://www.wrightslaw.com
Suggested Readings:
Council for
Exceptional Children. (1999).
IEP team guide.
Arlington, VA:
Council for Exceptional Children.
Multiple Sclerosis Council:
Fatigue and multiple sclerosis, Washington, DC, 1998, Paralyzed
Veterans of America.
Wright,
P.W. D.
& Wright, P.D. (2004).
Wrightslaw:Special Education Law. Harbour Hose Law Press, Va.
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